Flexible Work Schedules Still Limited To Select Few

According to recent statistics, the productivity of U.S. workers is at an all-time high, but fear that it won’t continue to increase is the factor most employers cite when they’re asked why they don’t routinely make flex time and telecommuting arrangements for their employees. The most common scenario when flexible hours are negotiated is an informal arrangement with a sympathetic manager. Employees who can make such arrangements feel less stressed, and if workplace flexibility was the norm it could help eliminate the gender wage gap. Nevertheless, programs that would allow workers to reduce hours to better manage the care of ill family members are being cut back. So is the length of leave for new fathers and adoptive parents.